Firass Abiad
Firass Abiad | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1970 London, United Kingdom |
| Occupation(s) | Physician, politician |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Known for | Minister of Health of Lebanon (2021–2025), chairman of Rafik Hariri University Hospital board |
Firass Abiad (Arabic: فراس الأبيض; born 1970) is a Lebanese physician and political figure who held the position of Minister of Health from 10 September 2021 until 8 February 2025. He rose to prominence as a key spokesperson for Lebanon's healthcare sector amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Early life and education
Abiad was born in London. He completed his studies at the American University of Beirut as well as institutions in both the United Kingdom and the United States. He earned his medical degree from the American University of Beirut in 1993, followed by an MBA from the same university in 2013.
Career
Abiad’s professional journey began in Saudi Arabia, where he spent ten years at the Specialized Medical Center Hospital in Riyadh. In 2010, he returned to Beirut to serve as a gastrointestinal and bariatric surgeon at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, also holding a professorship, positions he maintained as of October 2021. Between 2001 and 2011, he acted as a consultant for the General Surgery Department at Specialized Medical Center Hospital.
In 2015, Abiad was appointed chairman of the board at Rafik Hariri University Hospital (RHUH), Lebanon’s largest public hospital. Although Lebanese public institutions often experience political interference, colleagues regarded Abiad as an exception due to his ability to preserve autonomy despite sectarian appointment pressures. While informally associated with the Future Movement led by Saad Hariri, he does not hold any official party membership. Hariri endorsed his nomination during cabinet formation talks between October 2020 and July 2021. Upon assuming leadership at RHUH, Abiad faced considerable political challenges and financial instability but resisted politically motivated recruitment practices.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon, Abiad gained acclaim for his stewardship of RHUH, which was the first hospital to admit COVID-19 patients following Lebanon’s initial reported case in February 2020. Under his guidance, RHUH became a pivotal institution for pandemic response by rapidly scaling its capacity. The hospital’s recovery drew commendations from peers such as Georges Dabar of Hôtel-Dieu hospital. L'Orient-Le Jour highlighted this unusual praise from private sector counterparts towards a government-run facility often criticized for limited resources.
Christophe Martin, former head of the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation in Lebanon, praised Abiad for fostering collaboration between RHUH and ICRC to assist vulnerable populations including Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Throughout his tenure, RHUH upgraded its infrastructure and reduced its financial deficit by 2019, which facilitated securing a €20 million grant from the French Development Agency. Nonetheless, some employees criticized him for insufficient attention to staff welfare amid disputes over salaries and labor strikes, even as they acknowledged the initially precarious conditions.
The Arab Hospitals Federation (AHF), representing nearly 500 hospitals across 22 countries, honored Abiad as "Man of the Year" in 2020.
In 2021, Abiad assumed office as Minister of Public Health during a period marked by a severe healthcare crisis characterized by shortages of medications, emigration of medical professionals, and ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic.
Personal life
Abiad is wedded to Ghina Ghaziri, who practices as an obstetrician-gynecologist at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. Together, they have three children.
He follows the Sunni branch of Islam.